Tips for formula feeding

[CJ1990]

Hello,

I’m just after advise on formula feeding. I have a 4 week old who I have been breast feeding but for a few different reasons I want to switch to formula. We’ve been topping up with formula every so often but now feel full formula is the best way to go.

My first question is are you not allowed to use boiling water? I have heard it has to be 70’c (leave kettle for half an hour) but how is that possible when you have a screaming hungry baby? Second question is can you pre-make them so they are ready? I’ve heard different opinions on that!

Thank you!

There are lots of different opinions about both your questions and you'll find many mums told different / contradictory things by various MWs / GPs / HVs.

The WHO guidance is here: http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/PIFBottlee_en.pdf

Basically best is to make feeds fresh but making and storing is also possible in the correct conditions.

On your question on the 70 vs 100 degrees. I had the same question and couldn't find a definitive answer in the official literature. The link above says the water shouldn't be cooler than 70 degrees, suggesting to me that it can be higher. What I found on various message boards was theories that boiling milk is avoided either to a) avoid scolding for the person making the bottle, b) ruins some element of the formula or c) releases BPA from plastic bottles. Since the WHO advice doesn't comment I've interpreted that it's ok to use boiling water (as long as you use BPA free plastic bottles).

Can you afford a perfect prep machine? It's the best thing i bought for my baby.

I bought a flask, boil the kettle leave it 10-15 mins then pour into the flask for use later. Depending on flask size and how many ounces baby's having you can have up to 6/7 lots of boiled water for bottles for use straight away. I found it a god send for night feeds and when going out. I would fill up straight away (well after feeding) when it was emptied as again saves having baby screaming come next feeding time. (Also miles cheaper than a massive in the way prep machine!)
My DS never had an issue with this and HV was impressed with the idea so it can't have been a bad thing to do.

I did exactly like you have done after a few weeks. I have been formula feeding for a few weeks now, little one is 5 weeks. If you can afford it I would so recommend a perfect prep machine! Life saver especially at night time!!! Takes two minutes for bottle at right temperature. Honestly the best thing. I found Asda had one on offer most of the time

Best thing I ever did was buy a perfect prep for home and to only use the ready made cartons when out.

You can use just-boiled water, the guidance is no cooler than 70C so leave to cool for no longer than 30 mins.

If you prefer to make it immediately you can.

If you can't make a bottle up fresh the next best thing to do is to make it up with hot water, cool quickly and store in the back of the fridge for up to 24 hours.

So short answer - yes you can use boiling water. Yes you can premake, but it's safer to make as needed.

You are meant to leave the boiled water to cool for 30 minutes before making the bottles yes.
I know professionals do not advise making bottles in advance, but my mum did with all of us, as have other women in my family. I did the same with my baby. We are all fine.

This is how we've all done it:
Empty and refill the kettle and boil. Wait 30 minutes for it to cool to the correct temperature. Make the bottles. Allow them to cool naturally at room temperature. When they have, put them in the fridge where they can be stored for up to 24 hours.
To heat, we simply used a plastic jug and boiling water. Boil kettle, take bottle from the fridge, put it in the jug to heat. When we were out we had a travel bottle warmer, you fill the flask with boiling water and the lid acts as a jug.
It's so much easier and less messing about when the baby is hungry.
I know a lot of people love the perfect prep machine. But to me that's lazy parenting, no one needs a machine to make a bottle. They can be done my hand no problem. Like people did before it was invented.

Definitely consider a prep machine. They're a life saver

Perfect prep- game changer! And life saver!

Well yep and you can milk the cow yourself too but it's more convenient to buy the powder... WTF, it's not lazy to use a machine, it's just a preference.

We started making fresh, but who has the time for that with a screaming hungry baby 🤷‍♀️
We make the bottles with boiled, but slightly cooled water - boil 1 litre in a kettle and leave for half an hour.

We made the morning bottles the night before and put in the fridge. Then made the afternoon bottles in the morning, then put in the fridge.

Reheat in microwave and swirl to avoid hotspots. Instant formula.

Didn't get a perfect prep as read lots about mould forming in the tubes? Anyway, we knew others that did and their babies were fine.

Premade milk if you're going to be out for a while so it's fresh. Otherwise a cold bottle keeps cool in a cool bag for up to 4 hrs. Room temperature keeps for two.

Good luck x

Perfect prep machine - life saver when our twins were tiny. When we were going out for the day id take a flask of hot water, make two bottles before we went and use the hot water from the flask to heat them up again. I had the tommee tippee flask and the white cover was big enough to sit a bottle in and the pour the hot water round it.

I boiled water, stored in a Thermos and made formula fresh each time. I then cooled the bottle rapidly in a large vessel of cold water, with ice if I had it. It usually took 2 mins to cool down. We'd try to anticipate feeds, making a fresh bottle every 2-3h, and throw it away if not needed.

@happymummy12345 as per WHO guidelines you really need to flash cool the bottles in ice water before storing in the fridge immediately. Leaving them at room temperature is the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive.

Hello...if you're living in England and you don't have lead pipes then cold water warmed up in the microwave for 30 secs (based on 180ml water) add scoops of formula and mix....is completely fine.

This is not how you are supposed to do it but this is how all my NCT group and I did it :

Boil kettle and fill 6 (or however many bottles) of water. Leave out of the fridge. When you need the milk, put the formula in , shake and then feed. I know the boiling water is supposed to kill the bacteria in milk, but all of our babies were fine.

At night use the ready made stuff. After 3 months my son had his bottles at room temperature.

The way that worked best for me, especiallly out and about was to have a thermos of hot water, put a small amount in with the formula then top up with cooled boiled water. The cooled water gets the hot to the right temp (if you work out ratios properly) and you can use immediately. Takes less than a minute.

We just use freshly boiled water or Get a spare bottle and fill with cooled boiled water. Put in the fridge. Use freshly boiled water for half the amount so if you're making a 6 oz bottle use 3oz boiling water then put 6 scoops in the hot water. Mix, then add 3oz cooled boiled water (hence why using a marked bottle so you can measure it) As long as you are measuring the water and the powder is added to the hot water first it will steriliser the powder. You may still need to cool for a few seconds but it works the same as perfect prep. We also use this method when out and about and it's ideal